Shoplifting suspect had a cart full of baby formula

ROCHESTER — Police on Thursday arrested a man they say tried to steal more than $1,000 worth of baby formula from Walmart in Rochester.

Dillon Johnson, 19, of 640 Poverty Pond Road, Hill, N.H., is being held in jail after being charged with felony willful concealment, after trying to run out of Walmart Thursday with a shopping cart full of baby formula, said Police Capt. Paul Toussaint.

He said Johnson’s charge is a felony because of the value of merchandise he attempted to steal from the store.

Baby formula, said Toussaint, is a frequent item shoplifters steal. He said that sometimes baby formula is used for cutting drugs. In most of the Rochester incidents, suspects steal baby formula because it’s so expensive, Toussaint said, with thieves reselling the stolen formula at lower prices.

Police got involved in the incident after a member of Walmart’s loss prevention department reported the theft, according to a police affidavit. The sworn affidavit states that Walmart employees tried to stop Johnson as he was running out of the store with the cart full of baby formula. Police reviewed the surveillance tape at the store before arresting Johnson.

In addition to the felony willful concealment charge, Johnson on Thursday was charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief, for allegedly hitting a parked vehicle with the shopping cart while fleeing Walmart, said Toussaint.

Following his arraignment at Rochester Circuit Court Friday morning, Johnson is being held at Strafford County jail on $5,000 cash bail.

If he posts bail, he will be supervised by Strafford County Community Corrections.

He is also prohibited from entering Walmart on Farmington Road in Rochester.